The newly opened National Grand Theatre started selling standing area tickets for the first time on Tuesday. Eager music lovers waited overnight in strong winds to buy the 30 yuan (US$4) bargain tickets, with all 100 been sold out within 40 minutes.

The New Year's first show in the theatre is a concert brought by Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa.

Ticket buyers told the Beijing Evening News that the first of them started queuing at around 9 o'clock on Monday night, with the box office opening at 9:30 am on Tuesday morning.

Beijing citizens queue in front of the box office of the National Grand Theatre to buy low-price standing tickets for a New Year concert on Tuesday, January 1 2008. (photo: Xinhua)

"The temperature fell below zero last night, and the wind was so strong. We stood out there for the whole night and took turns to warm ourselves in a nearby McDonald's," one of several college students who successfully bought a ticket said. "We are now going back to school to sleep and will come again in the evening."

Although the low-price standing tickets will be a long-term policy of the theatre, people did not want to miss the chance to see a master musician. "Seiji Ozawa is growing old and he will not come to China every year," one buyer said.

Beijing citizens queue in front of the box office of the National Grand Theatre to buy low-price standing tickets for a New Year concert on Tuesday, January 1 2008.

Others are concerned about the ticket price in the future, "Performance in the theatre are going to cost a lot. Will the standing tickets still be 30 yuan later on? Best to go for it as early as we can."

Beijing citizens queue in front of the box office of the National Grand Theatre to buy low-price standing tickets for a New Year concert on Tuesday, January 1 2008.

(Xinhua News Agency January 2, 2008)